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Telecommunication has existed since its creation. I read a book that talked about communication before the colonial era.
We used the system called Aroko (sending message to someone by using materials like cloth or leaves in a short or long distance). Since they could not write, they used different kinds of things such as rope, red cloth, back of tree and many more as a means of communication. The sender and receiver understood the message.
This was the type of message they sent from one place or region to another; and that was how they communicated from one person or state to another.
The problem with this type of communication was that, the messenger may be killed while he was on his way to delivered the message or the messenger might take long time before he, reached the place. It depends on the distances; some messengers may take a week or more before delivering the message.
Back in 60s, our fathers used telephones called land lines. Therefore, there is no way we talked about telecommunication in my country without talking of colonial era. Those are the days when colonial masters were ruling the country.
Back in 60s, when colonial masters were ruling, they brought formal Education. Education was free in those days and was well planned.
Through formal Education, our father learnt how to read and write in English; this was because we were colonized by British.
NOTE: In the Beginning of formal Education, the colonial Masters were the one teaching in the class room.
All of them that were able to read and write were privileged to work in companies. There was no one who graduated in a grade level without been given a job. They were very useful in the community, useful to the families and to the kings. Whenever the kings wanted to send a message to someone, they called those set of learned people to help them write the letter.
They were important figures in society, they took important positions and were well-treated in the communities. They were like champions in the village.
That was the era when Aroko (sending message to someone by using materials like cloth or leaves in a short or long distance) ended. People thought that using materials to send messages was odd.
formal education brough an end to a traditional method of communication and gave birth to sending messages through letter writing.
That was how Mail service was introduced- sending documents to some within and outside country without taking time. It was a body organized by the government to aid easy delivery of documents.
The mail service still exists up to today but no longer functions like before because we can send documents; and the documents will be delivered within a minute.
It was also during this colonial era they brought land line; that was when telegraphic submarine cables where installed, connected Lagos to Britian (England). This was Because Lagos was a trading center for colonial masters. Not only Lagos but also some of the major business centers in the country.
NOTE: land line can only call and receive calls.
As technology was advancing and more ideas were birthed, the Global System for Communication (GSM) was introduced.
The first set of phones were Nokia 3310, Sagem and Samsung.
The phones (hand set) and sim card were very expensive, the first MTN line was sold in those days #80,000; that was when dollar was below #150.
Let assumed $1 was #150; one needed $533.3 to get a sim card and also needed money to buy phone.
Therefore, only wealthy and rich men were able to afford it. As time went on, the price of sim cards and phones began to fall, different products were manufactured, and more people began to have access to Sim cards and Phone.
Today, we have smartphones which have more functions that analogue phones. To explain smartphone to someone from 1960s, the following Keys are to be considered:
-download: I hardly collect videos and songs from friends these days. The moment a certain movie is out, I downloaded it through telegram or other websites. This feature is only available in smartphones, not in analogue phones. those analogue phones had in 90s do not have this feature.
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Watching TV and news: I love to mingle with fans whenever the club I support plays matches; that was one of the major reasons I watched football in the football showing center. Right now, I am staying at home, watching live football from my smartphone without going outside; reading the latest news, watching DSTV.
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Social Media: well! If not because of my work; I would have stayed in my room for days without going out because I have more friends in virtual World (social media) than real world.
Hence, I communicated with them almost every time; interacted with them as if we were together. I learned more on social media than in the real world. This is possible with Smartphone
Learning most things in my life through Smartphone: Even when I was a student, I searched whenever my lecturer gave us assignments. There were times when my lecturer organized zoom class for us.
In the aspect of crypto, #nft games and blogging, I learned the skill through smartphone.
Therefore, there are many people who acquired formal education from like that without stepping into the school. I have many friends that did their masters outside the country without going out.
Nothing is possible through smartphone: Even, you can get salvation through phone, you can get miracle through smartphone. I have heard about people getting miracles and healed by connecting to certain programs through smartphone.
I have heard of job seekers, interviewed online and got the jobs of their choices.
Through smartphone, it is possible to purchase items online and it delivers to you; selling your products and services online through smartphone.
My friend bought land, the documents were sent to him, and everything was intact. There are many more services Smartphones can offer you.
In conclusion, we have moved from analogue phones to smartphones where everything is possible. Those things we cannot access through analogue phones are now possible through smartphones such as healthcare, download, learning, watching TV and news, etc.
*I stand up for success, and success is not achieved by merely making mouth, No room for laziness, no room for idleness. Success comes to the people who are desperately and consciously searching for it. When it seems unsuccessful or you smell failure around you, never discourage yourself from being successful.
“Discouragement and failure are the two surest stepping stones to success.” - Dale
*Thank you for reading my post.